Dear President Obama, Senate Majority Leader Reid and Minority Leader McConnell, House Majority Leader Boehner and Minority Leader Pelosi,

My name is Jolene Philo, and I taught elementary school for twenty-five years. I’m writing because your behavior over the past few months and years bears many similarities to what sometimes happens before parents and teachers meet to discuss concerns about a child.

At least, the initial intent of the gathering is concern for the child.

But as the appointment draws closer, the parents become more concerned with being proven right than with doing what’s right for the child. And the teacher becomes more defensive about what she’s done than with what needs to be done for the child.

Nerves fray.
Tempers mount.
Heels dig in.
Lines are drawn.
The stage is set for winners and losers.

A co-teacher once offered some wise advice about how to defuse situations like that. She said, “Just go to the meeting and listen to the parents. Then say, ‘You care about your child. I do, too. We both want the same thing. So let’s work together to accomplish what’s best for your child.'”

Over the years, I employed that strategy many times, and it always worked. Because once we stopped thinking about ourselves and started thinking about the child, we wanted to work together.

And when that happens, the child wins.

I think if the President, the Senate and House leaders and the members of both bodies in both parties would employ the same strategy, our government could function effectively again. But one of you has to be brave enough to take the focus off yourself and your re-election campaign and put it back on the people you were elected to represent. Then great things could happen. But again, one of you has to be brave enough to say, “You care about this country and its people. I do, too. So let’s work together to accomplish what’s best for our country.”

If one of you would summon up the courage and character to do that, our country wins.

My two children and their spouses win, my grandchild wins, and my former students–the young people who deserve better than the mess your political self-absorption and partisanship have created–all win.

Sincerely,
A mom who loves her kids, her former students, and her country

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